DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 03/18/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1-20 have been fully considered. On page 9 of the remarks, Applicant stated that “at no point does Wooley disclosed or suggest the idea of an ordered list of real-time constraints, let alone calculating a distance vector between an identified reference point in the actor model and another reference point in the actor model selected from an ordered list of real-time constraint scenarios between the identified reference point and the one or more reference points in the actor model, as required by the amended claim language” such limitation is not in the claim language.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-12, 14-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wooley et al. (US Patent Number 9,001,132 B1, hereinafter “Wooley”) and Gupta et al. (US Publication Number 2022/0232162 A1, hereinafter “Gupta”), further in view of Blaylock et al. (US Publication Number 2020/0058148 A1, hereinafter “Blaylock”).
(1) regarding claim 1:
As shown in figs. 1A-1F, Wooley disclosed a computer-implemented method of retargeting animation in an avatar model (col. 4, lines 44-46, note that this description relates to constraint scenarios for retargeting actor motion. Retargeting can involve applying the motion of one subject (e.g., a human actor) to another (e.g., a computer generated character).), the computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, for an actor model and an avatar model, a set of correspondence relationships between one or more reference points in the actor model and one or more reference points in the avatar model (col. 5, lines 20-25, note that the virtual space 100 here includes an actor skeleton 104 and a character skeleton 106. In some implementations, each of the actor skeleton 104 and the character skeleton 106 is defined as a computer-based model having certain properties);
determining a misaligned reference point in the avatar model relative to the actor model (col. 6, lines 3-9, note that some parts of the character skeleton 106 in some sense correspond to those of a human body (e.g., the actor skeleton 104). For example, the character skeleton 106 has two legs with an articulated foot each, knee joints, a pelvis, a spine, a head and two arms with respective joints. However, the character skeleton 106 is taller than the actor skeleton 104 in the virtual space 100);
identifying, based on the set of correspondence relationships, a reference point in the actor model corresponding to the misaligned reference point in the avatar model (col. 5, lines 9-12, note that the proportions of the individual limbs of the character skeleton 106 to each other may differ from those of a human body (e.g., the actor skeleton 104).);
calculating a distance vector between the identified reference point in the actor model and another reference point in the actor model (col. 6, lines 27-31, note that the actor skeleton 104 and the character skeleton 106 can be placed at any arbitrary positions relative to each other in the virtual space 100. For example, the skeletons 104 and 106 can be placed some distance from each other on the plane 102 (e.g., as shown here). Col. 11, lines 28-30, solver component used for calculating mismatch/misalignment); and
adjusting a location of the misaligned reference point in the avatar model based on the distance vector (col. 8, lines 6-9, note that the root of the character skeleton 106 is first matched with the root of the actor skeleton 104, and thereafter the character skeleton is adjusted so that its feet (in this example) match those of the actor skeleton).
Wooley disclosed most of the subject matter as described as above except for specifically teaching calculating a distance vector, reference point selected from an ordered list of distances between the identified reference point and the one or more reference points in the actor model; and adjusting the location of the misaligned reference point in the avatar model based on the distance vector.
However, Gupta disclosed calculating a distance vector (para. [0090], note that the AR pose system 102 calculates distances between feature vectors to determine the appropriate cluster with which to group a feature vector) and adjusting the location of the misaligned reference point in the avatar model based on the distance vector (para. [0098], note that the AR pose system 102 next performs an act 410 of providing the retargeted reference body frame aligned to the subject in the camera viewfinder stream. For example, the AR pose system 102 provides the retargeted reference body frame as the pose guide overlaid on the camera viewfinder based on one or more landmarks relative to the subject depicted in the camera viewfinder stream).
At the time of filing for the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art to teach calculating a distance vector and adjusting the location of the misaligned reference point in the avatar model based on the distance vector. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been in order to iteratively modify portions of the generated pose guide to indicate that the subject depicted in the camera viewfinder stream is coming into alignment with the generated pose guide (abs.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Wooley with Gupta to obtain the invention as specified in claim 1.
In addition to that, Blaylock disclosed reference point selected from an ordered list of distances between the identified reference point and the one or more reference points in the actor model (para. [0117], note that points are then chosen starting with the beginning of the time series and working toward the end such that each is the distance from the previous as assigned by the distances calculated in the previous steps).
At the time of filing for the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art to teach reference point selected from an ordered list of distances between the identified reference point and the one or more reference points in the actor mode. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been in order to predict a reference model for tracking and rendering; and, to use the computational systems, networking, or display hardware to seamlessly allow users to see their motion in real-time (abs.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Wooley and Gupta with Blaylock to obtain the invention as specified in claim 1.
(2) regarding claim 2:
Wooley further disclosed the computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising calculating, based on one or more dimensions of the actor model, a distance value corresponding to a precise zone (col. 7, lines 8-11, note that a constraint applies to the character skeleton, and as a result a separate value will be calculated for the joint angle 110B which could differ from the joint angle 110A. Also see col. 12, lines 42-44, note that the solver component 518 determines one or more joint angles for the character skeleton using the activated one(s) of the limb solvers 518B and the stance solver 518A).
Wooley disclosed most of the subject matter as described as above except for specifically teaching a distance value corresponding to a transition zone.
However, Gupta disclosed a distance value corresponding to a transition zone (para. [0066], note that the AR pose system 102 generates and provides an additional user interface including the additionally identified sample pose images, and transitions display focus away from the camera viewfinder 202 to the additional user interface).
At the time of filing for the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art to teach a distance value corresponding to a transition zone. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been in order to iteratively modify portions of the generated pose guide to indicate that the subject depicted in the camera viewfinder stream is coming into alignment with the generated pose guide (abs.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Wooley with Gupta to obtain the invention as specified in claim 2.
(3) regarding claim 3:
Wooley disclosed most of the subject matter as described as above except for specifically teaching further comprising modifying the location of the misaligned reference point based on the distance vector, the distance value corresponding to the precise zone, and the distance value corresponding to the transition zone.
However, Gupta disclosed modifying the location of the misaligned reference point based on the distance vector, the distance value corresponding to the precise zone, and the distance value corresponding to the transition zone (para. [0103], note that the AR pose system 102 determines that the respective portions overlap if both portions have the same starting and ending coordinate points—meaning that both portions have the same length and positioning relative to the subject in the camera viewfinder. And the AR pose system 102 determines that a segment of the retargeted reference body frame overlay a segment of the subject body frame if both segments have the same starting coordinates and if the ending points of both segments are within a threshold distance (e.g., within ten pixels)).
At the time of filing for the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art to teach modifying the location of the misaligned reference point based on the distance vector, the distance value corresponding to the precise zone, and the distance value corresponding to the transition zone. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been in order to iteratively modify portions of the generated pose guide to indicate that the subject depicted in the camera viewfinder stream is coming into alignment with the generated pose guide (abs.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Wooley with Gupta to obtain the invention as specified in claim 3.
(4) regarding claim 5:
Wooley further disclosed the computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each entry in the ordered list of distances includes a distance vector from the identified reference point in the actor model and the one or more other reference points in the actor model (col. 13, lines 23-26, note that the root position of the character is automatically computed and adjusted from an initial matching position so that the character's joints assume the same pose and stance as the actor).
Wooley disclosed most of the subject matter as described as above except for specifically teaching wherein each entry in the ordered list of distances includes a distance vector.
However, Gupta disclosed teaching wherein each entry in the ordered list of distances includes a distance vector (para. [0090], note that the AR pose system 102 calculates distances between feature vectors to determine the appropriate cluster with which to group a feature vector).
At the time of filing for the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art to teach wherein each entry in the ordered list of distances includes a distance vector. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been in order to iteratively modify portions of the generated pose guide to indicate that the subject depicted in the camera viewfinder stream is coming into alignment with the generated pose guide (abs.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Wooley with Gupta to obtain the invention as specified in claim 5.
(5) regarding claim 6:
Wooley further disclosed the computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein a first entry in the ordered list of distances includes a distance and a direction from the identified reference point in the actor model to the closest other reference point in the actor model (col. 13, lines 38-43, note that when the ground constraint is activated using the control 702D, the "foot plants" of the actor are detected, and at these moments the feet of the character are constrained to be on the plane 102 (e.g., FIG. 1A), such as a ground mesh. If the ground is moved up and down, the character will move with it, but keep the same stance).
(6) regarding claim 7:
Wooley disclosed most of the subject matter as described as above except for specifically teaching wherein the method further comprises: receiving, for one or more of the reference points in the avatar model, an associated personal space distance value; and adjusting the location of the misaligned reference point in the avatar model such that a distance between the misaligned reference point and a reference point in the avatar model is not less than the personal space distance value associated with the reference point.
However, Gupta disclosed receiving, for one or more of the reference points in the avatar model, an associated personal space distance value (para. [0095], note that the AR pose system 102 performs an act 404 of extracting a reference body frame from the selected sample pose image. In one or more embodiments, the AR pose system 102 extracts a reference body frame from the selected sample pose image by identifying locations for joints and segments of the subject (e.g., the human figure) depicted in the selected sample pose image); and adjusting the location of the misaligned reference point in the avatar model such that a distance between the misaligned reference point and a reference point in the avatar model is not less than the personal space distance value associated with the reference point (para. [0130], note that the AR pose system 102 determines that a segment of the retargeted reference body frame overlay a segment of the subject body frame if both segments have the same starting coordinates and if the ending points of both segments are within a threshold distance (e.g., within ten pixels)).
At the time of filing for the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art to teach wherein the method further comprises: receiving, for one or more of the reference points in the avatar model, an associated personal space distance value; and adjusting the location of the misaligned reference point in the avatar model such that a distance between the misaligned reference point and a reference point in the avatar model is not less than the personal space distance value associated with the reference point. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been in order to iteratively modify portions of the generated pose guide to indicate that the subject depicted in the camera viewfinder stream is coming into alignment with the generated pose guide (abs.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Wooley with Gupta to obtain the invention as specified in claim 7.
(7) regarding claim 8:
Wooley disclosed most of the subject matter as described as above except for specifically teaching wherein each of the actor model and the avatar model are associated with a single frame of an animated motion sequence having a plurality of frames.
However, Gupta disclosed wherein each of the actor model and the avatar model are associated with a single frame of an animated motion sequence having a plurality of frames (para. [0058], note that the camera viewfinder 202 displays a camera viewfinder stream of digital images or image frames depicting a subject 204 within a scene 206).
At the time of filing for the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art to teach wherein each of the actor model and the avatar model are associated with a single frame of an animated motion sequence having a plurality of frames. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been in order to iteratively modify portions of the generated pose guide to indicate that the subject depicted in the camera viewfinder stream is coming into alignment with the generated pose guide (abs.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Wooley with Gupta to obtain the invention as specified in claim 8.
(8) regarding claim 9:
Wooley further disclosed the computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein relative positions of the one or more reference points in the actor model are based on one of the positioning of a live object or a programmed character animation sequence (see figs. 1A-1F, note that motion sequence is presented. Col. 4, lines 59-63, note that he retargeting system lets a director specify in real time one or more aspects of the actor's captured motion that should be preserved in the solver processing and hence applied to the character, where other aspects may not be preserved).
The proposed rejection of claims 1-3, 5-9 render obvious the steps of the non-transitory computer-readable media storage claims of 10-12, 14-18 and the system claims 19-20 because these steps occur in the operation of the proposed rejection as discussed above. Thus, the arguments similar to that presented above for claims 1-3, 5-9 are equally applicable to claims 10-12, 14-20.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 13 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: “determining that a magnitude of the distance vector is greater than the distance value corresponding to the transition zone; and removing an adjustment to the location of the misaligned reference point based on the determination that the magnitude of the distance vector is greater than the distance value corresponding to the transition zone”, as recited in claims 4 and 13.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Mandel et al. (US Publication Number 2015/0046375 A1) disclosed a user may create an avatar and/or animated sequence illustrating a particular object or living being performing a certain activity, using images of portions of the object or living being extracted from a still image or set of still images of the object or living being.
Poirier et al. (NPL, “Rig Retargeting for 3D Animation”, 2009) disclosed methods of character animation is the use of a skeleton to drive the deformation of its associated geometry.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communication from the examiner should be directed to Hilina K Demeter whose telephone number is (571) 270-1676.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, King Y. Poon could be reached at (571) 270- 0728. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HILINA K DEMETER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2617
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